Triptan nasal spray effective for adolescent migraine

NEW YORK, Aug 18 (Reuters) A nasal spray containing the drug zolmitriptan, which is known by the brand name Zomig, effectively relieves migraine headache in adolescents and is well tolerated, according to a study.

In the study, conducted by Dr Donald W Lewis, of Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, and colleagues, 275 migraine attacks in 171 adolescents (12 to 17 years old) were treated, including 148 with zolmitriptan and 127 with placebo.

Onset of headache relief occurred within 15 minutes in roughly 37 per cent of zolmitriptan treatments compared with 23 per cent of placebo treatments, a significant difference favoring zolmitriptan.

Likewise, at 1 hour, zolmitriptan nasal spray produced a much higher headache response rate relative to placebo (58 per cent versus 43 per cent, respectively).

Zolmitriptan nasal spray was significantly superior to placebo in improvement in pain-free rates, pain intensity, sustained resolution of migraine, and resolution of associated migraine symptoms, the authors report in the journal Pediatrics. Patients treated with zolmitriptan nasal spray were more apt to return to normal activities than patients treated with placebo.

There were no serious side effects to the nasal spray. The most commonly reported side effects were taste disturbance, nasal discomfort, and nasal congestion.

Zolmitriptan nasal spray, the team concludes, provides ''fast and significantly effective'' relief of migraine symptoms for adolescent migraine sufferers.

REUTERS RAR VV0900